WHY I TEACH Black teachers​in their own words

Archie F. Williams (1915 - 1993) taught mathematics and computer science at Sir Francis Drake High School in Marin County, California. His 22-year teaching career was the cap to a long, accomplished life. A teammate of Jesse Owens, Mr. Williams won a gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He went on to become an instructor to the Tuskeegee Airmen and spent 22 years in the Air Force, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. You can learn more about him by reading his oral history interview as a part of the University of California Black Alumni Series.

We want to thank one of our partners, the Oakland Unified School District, for pointing us to this oral history series. The Black Teacher Project is honored to be working so closely with OUSD to improve the sustainability of Black teachers in the district. We look forward to building our relationship with OUSD and making space for Black teachers—and their students—to thrive.